Page 63 of Grumpy Player
“Now calmly, everyone please take a seat and let’s discuss this like mature adults. Barging into my home and making demands isn’t going to achieve anything,” Connor states and he makes his way to the recliner, limping slowly.
Sybil and Warren take a seat on one side of the sectional. Connor sits on his recliner with his feet part down and I take a seat on the other edge of the recliner, close to Connor.
“Ellie, can you please give me an update on how Syd was today?” Connor asks.
Sybil mutters expletives under her breath. Warren takes hold of her hand and tells her to take a deep breath.
“Syd was nervous. She stayed close to me. She only spoke to me. She wouldn’t speak with Warren or Sybil,” I relay.
Sybil shoots to her feet. “She’s a bitch, Connor.”
“Sybil, I am very close to throwing you out of my apartment. Ellie is going to be my wife, you need to speak to her with respect,” Connor demands. I’m seriously ready to bitch slap this woman because she needs some sort of wake-up call, but I know it won’t help Connor’s case.
“Are you fucking kidding me? You go and fuck our kid’s nanny. How typical, and now you want me to accept it?” Sybil asks.
Warren stands. “Maybe we should call it a day.”
“We aren’t done here,” Sybil says. “Sydney is my daughter. She belongs with me.”
Connor stands. “You haven’t taken care of her a day in her life.”
“Were you fucking the nanny back in Canada too?” Sybil responds.
“You’re something else, Sybil. I don’t know why you can’t put Syd first. Somehow you like to make everything about you. No, I wasn’t with any nanny back in Canada. I also don’t owe you any explanations. I’m single and free to date who I want. Ellie is going to be my wife, which means she will be a big part of Syd’s life. You better get used to it.”
“Wow, someone has grown a set of balls,” she responds to him.
I’m seriously about to punch her out. She is so uppity and self-serving it’s getting nauseating.
“Okay, that’s enough,” Warren interjects, taking her hand in his. He’s a big scumbag, but I don’t get what he would see in her.
“I’ll take you to court, Connor. You know I will. I have endless amounts of money to ensure Sydney is mine,” Sybil says. I begin to wonder if she is bored, and this is a game to her.
“Try me, Sybil. I’ve appeased you for too long. Your behavior isn’t stable. You can’t talk and behave this way in front of Syd unless your intention is to scare her.”
“You’ve started a war, Connor. A war you can’t win on your goalie salary,” Sybil warns.
“I think it’s time for you both to leave,” Connor suggests to Warren and Sybil.
Warren guides Sybil to the door. Connor takes my hand in his and we walk them out. I am so worked up and burned out from this day, but his hand in mine is causing sparks to ignite within me.
Connor smacks the door and then he locks it.
I let out a breath.
“Holy shit, your ex is. . .a lot.”
“Tell me about it,” he sighs, and he takes me in his arms and hugs me. His arms feel strong around me. His body is warm and my head leans against his chest where I can hear the beat of his heart. It’s a good hug. I feel safe in Connor’s arms. The way he protected me now felt good. I’ve never had anyone stand up for me that way. Even my own family walked all over me.
He loosens the hug and pulls back. “Are you okay?”
“I have a headache,” I respond. “Today was a lot.”
I tell him about the restaurant that happens to be a place my family owns, and then I tell him about Central Park and the horse-drawn carriage ride we took. I’m still contemplating whether it’s worth it for me to tell him that Warren hit on me. It doesn’t make sense because he should know. I know that his response will be caring and attentive and yet I am second-guessing myself. Playing that whole scene in my mind over and overthinking it, maybe I misconstrued Warren’s intentions.
“If it’s okay, I’d like to go take a bath and just relax. My head is spinning.”
“Sorry that I put you through all that. I know how Sybil can be and Syd isn’t comfortable around her,” Connor explains.